Jbsglass, the Jones Tent & Awning (JT&A) packs were made by a company started by C.H. Jones, a sailmaker, the year after a fire leveled what was then Vancouver. I have written an illustrated brief history of the company. C.H. invited a young fellow on the east coast to join him, the last name being Lipsett. A year or so after joining C.H., Lipsett went into business for himself, competing against JT&A. It was the Edward Lipsett Co., that manufactured the Pintail model. The Pintail model is rare compared to the JT&A and the Trager packs.

On a hiking trip in Alaska in 1920, Seattle resident Lloyd Nelson used a borrowed Indian pack to carry his gear. The pack was sealskin stretched over willow sticks, and proved to be uncomfortable to say the least. He thought he could design a better one, and thought there would be a market for...